Our topic of discussion in RCIA Sunday was the Real Presence. It’s always one of the topics that people have a hard time understanding or even grasping in the beginning due to their Protestant backgrounds. However one lady actually believes in the Real Presence from her Protestant denomination. I did not get her past denomination.

What Protestant denominations believe in the Real Presence? I know there isn’t Apostolic succession in her denomination or she wouldn’t be going through RCIA

[quote=Comas]Our topic of discussion in RCIA Sunday was the Real Presence. It’s always one of the topics that people have a hard time understanding or even grasping in the beginning due to their Protestant backgrounds. However one lady actually believes in the Real Presence from her Protestant denomination. I did not get her past denomination.

What Protestant denominations believe in the Real Presence? I know there isn’t Apostolic succession in her denomination or she wouldn’t be going through RCIA

Thanks,

Comas
[/quote]

Lutherans and Anglicans (Episcopalians) believe in Real Presence, but in a different way than Catholics do. Catholics and Orthodox believe that the bread and wine actually become the Body and Blood of Christ, while maintaining the putward physical characteristics (accidents) of bread and wine. This belief is known as Transubstantiation. Lutherans believe that the Body and Blood co-exist with the bread and wine. This is a belief known as Consubstatiation. Most other denominations that celebrate the “Last Supper” believe the “Real Presence” to mean that Christ is spiritually present with the congregation as they celebrate His memorial feast. However, the bread and wine (usually crackers and grape juice) are just that, bread and wine.

I have talked to protestants that say they believe in the real presense…but that is not what their church teaches…or what their pastor believes (that is giving it to them)…and if you tell them that it is not real…they get mad…but tell them to talk to their pastor and ask if it really is…but you have to show them that the Catholic faith is the only one that CAN have the real presense…so if they want it…they have to come get it.

Lutherans and Anglicans (Episcopalians) believe in Real Presence, but in a different way than Catholics do.

If it’s different from the Catholic faith, then, it is not “real presence.”

The Catholic Church believes in the “transubstantiation.” Meaning the substance is actually changed into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ and is a permanent change. That’s the Real Presence.

Some Protestants, if not all, believes in “Consubstantiation.” Meaning that the substance is not really changed but the presence of Christ in the substance of bread and wine is temporary. The substance of bread and wine for them is still bread and wine and not the real Christ (I hope I made the explanation right).